Dan Schlafer has been a professional educator, coach and administrator since 1974. He is a graduate of Carson-Newman University, earned a Master of Science degree in 1987 from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville and an Educational Specialist degree in 1995 from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Currently serving as the Federal Programs Director for the Cumberland County, Tennessee School System, where he manages Title Programs and almost two and a half million dollars in Federal money, he has taught every grade level from Kindergarten through twelfth grade. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association named Dan their Principal of the Year for school year 2002-2003. He was enshrined in the TSSAA Hall of Fame in 2013. Dan has also received their Distinguished Service Award.

His education career also includes work as a school board member in Cumberland County. Elected to the board in 2002, he served 13 years. As a member of the Tennessee School Boards Association’s Board of Directors, he was the 2010 President of that state-wide organization. He is a Level Five, Master School Board member, and has served as a member of the Tennessee Legislative Network Board of Directors, the TSBA Editorial Advisory Board and is a passionate national advocate for public education. He was named to the 2005 and 2009 All Tennessee School Board, was Tennessee’s 2009 School Board Member of the Year, has been inducted into TSBA’s exclusive Scholars Circle and has received the National School Board Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2005, 2009, and 2012 and is TSBA’s representative on the TSSAA’s governing boards. Dan has had ten articles published in THE AMERICAN SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL, the oldest education periodical in our country.

The mission of the Federal Programs Department is to support the system in improving teaching and learning for students in high poverty schools.

The involvement of any federal program in education is strictly limited to a supplemental role. Under no circumstances may federal funds be used to provide services, supplies or personnel that must be provided by the local school system. Federal funds are used to enhance the educational opportunity provided to students.

Individual school planning teams decide how to utilize federal funds that have been allocated to the school. These decisions must be based on academic areas targeted for improvement in the system's improvement plan and the individual school's improvement plan.

The purpose of a federally funded Title I Program is to support the local school system's efforts to improve teaching and learning for students in high-poverty schools so that these students can meet the State's challenging content and performance standards. In Cumberland County, all nine elementary schools and the Phoenix High School have been identified as Title I school-wide schools. A school with a school-wide program can use Title I funds to upgrade and improve the entire educational program in ways that will impact every student enrolled in school.

In addition to Title I, the Cumberland County School System receives Title II, Title III, and Title VI funds. Title II funds are used for staff development activities, Title III is for English Language Learners ( ESL) and Title VI Rural School funds are used to improve educational opportunities for all students in high-poverty schools.

All nine elementary schools and The Phoenix High School receive 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding. 21st CCLC funds provide before and after school extended learning opportunities.

Cumberland County Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability in admission to or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities. The system will be in compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1994, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Any person having inquiries concerning the system's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title IX, or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is directed to contact the Cumberland County Schools at 931-484-6135.